Door closing mechanism



Jan. 26, 1954 T. A. STI-:HUN

DooR CLOSING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheell l Filed Deo. 20, 1950 Inl!! SSSM, Hl! h MMV... I

lllllllllllllllllllll I.

.7o-Ao STEHLN,

INVENTOR.

T rae/VE Y- Jan. 26, 1954 T, A, STEHUN 2,666,944

DOOR CLOSING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 20, 1.950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7l/A. STE/JUN, RW INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 26a 1954 UNlTE-DwSTATES Y 'l l v r $66,944 Y DOOR chos-ING rheodr'nsftehlin, caiilj Application rember zo, 1956; sriammgoL'sar y This invention has relation to door operating mechanism and. hasparticularreference to dnevices for controlling;the,doorv closing Avmovement o'fadoor.-.. y It isthe general object of `the invention to provide a. simple, inexpensive and convenient-lymperabledevice which rnavyffbe *appliedtodoorsof various sizes for-'controllingthe opening and closing movernentsoi suchfdoorsthrough anyvarc o f any desiredpredetermineddegree. 4A further voloject isto providefiesilent,rneansdesignedlto induce -.closing..7 movement `V`of theA door. Another ohje'ctkisA to prov-ide resilient door closing-:means which coniprisesa pair of ldoor closing-,memhera either one of whichY may be employed to eeet the door closing .movement .andgoneoff which maybe substitutedior. theothen in. case theorie eml ployed. for the door closing operation should, for some reason, ,become damaged orl otherwisefail to operate` properly. Astill,furtheroloiectis to provide, inta .door closing *inechan-ism y ofrthetype referred to, rnearisror uniformly'controlling speed of closingmovement ofzthe ldoor.-I lAnother oloject is to provide` means-for cushioning nal opening and closingimovement of the door. tisastill further object-off the invention to provide means for yieldinglvmaintaining Ithe door-in Qpenfpo- Theseandother objects of the invention, tog gether with.. the man-y 'advantageous lfeatures thereof, will hereinafter he fullyfdeseribedeand reference is invited to :the accompanying drawings inwhichpreferredforms of the irwention are illustrated;-

In the drawings: v v v o Y Fig. 1 shows ardoor. conventionally hung ,withf in a framing and with thefdevice of-thenventon mountedin position thereomA .l l. A

Fig. 2 isy asimilarview showing the doorhung on the opposite side oftheframng and the posi,- tion which! thedevice of theinventionassumes in this ydoor combinatiom ,1.,

Fig. 3 illustrates, on a larger scale, the position of the device which isy mountedon-theidoor frammg; i. Y .1:

Fig 4 shows the portionl of the device Vmounted on the door. and withthecasing thereorbroken away in order to. disclose,k theinterior mechanism thereof;v v 3 Figs. ..5and 6 show the central coupling meme ber of the casing,;asl viewed inthe .direction `of the arrows 5,6ofFig-45 Fig." '7 is a vievvtaken substantially'online 1-11 ofFigAr' i Figr isla fragmentary viewtaken on line 8'-8 QFHCE n l. y j I 2 l l Egs. 9 and 1.0 illustatean element of the invenftiontheginiportance of ,which` is hereinafter fully ,explaine and y, C: v Fig-ills ows a modification of portions of the `that ii-is csecuredffor rotating. movement within the, casing. v'Ihe, stem is near the-upperend-ther of. shown periorated to. receive a pin 3 which `extends traniferselv through-the head e ora cylinder 5 operatively to-,conneetvtha partsi for simultaneouspositiveilotation .'Theiheadj is for this purposetrecessed, sul;stantially 'as-@indicated .at 5, and, theupper endcfthe stem ismachined .to provide parallehside surfaces 16, which tsnugly bWgGQB: the.; sidewalls. of the. `recess 5. Y When these parts; are lproperly proportioned, it .is found that-.rotationqof the stem will; positively swing. the

.5 ahorizontalplane. 1,-

m0untedf1for axial sliding movementwithin the; cylinder; and Ia; piston tl .is` securedptotheinnerendof this rod.- A plug .l2l is ttedginto ythefeylinder tofclose;l the other end thereof, andgthjis yplug isperforatedfto forma seat for the rod l0, the projectingrendeof which is show-n seatedwithnra Asleeve i! Scwhich latter is rigidly curved 7imposition on thema in anysuitable lA nne Thes1eeve.,;is internally. threaded to receive thafhreadedendiof a stem l-dwhich, in turn, isihung t0 swingen aibracket t5 bymeans 9iyarivet:alfzvertallv extending through v:the bracket and thveend of thestern. -J-Thisfbracket is, as best shown rig.y 17,1195 meansof screws III rigidlrfmeunte position fonl .the fup'per horilsentait member or; thedoorframe-B. .1

Referring Anog@to-Eiga.4,,it is :noticedthat the steni- 2*..extend Xill-yithrough theveoasing l and that theniarged L ell'zll: portion-,lz of thisstem movementtherem by' shaun o ,ille ythe inner surfaces A:of v:the bearingpor ions;- Igg ,ofthe-casing. e UpQIgl. fur'.-v

therV examination of Fieflttis @steered .that the casing. isJ made. 1in-two.- narits 2 L Af-.oneoiwhich by means of which the casing is mounted in position on the door and the base is for this purpose shown perforated to receive fastening screws 21. This completes the external interconnection between the door and the door frame.

Helical springs 30, 3I are placed within the casing and the upper end of the upper spring, as well as the lower end of the lower spring, is shaped to become securely anchored between elements rising from the inner surfaces of the casing ends. Since the elements at both ends may be exactly alike, only the upper portion of the casing is illustrated in Fig. '7. The upper end of the spring Sil is in this view shown bent to form a straight lip 53 which is forced into position between projecting elements 5I, 52 of the casing, whereupon the first loop of the's'pring is forced behind bosses 53, 54 inwardly projecting from the side wall of the casing. When the upper end of the spring B is so placed and the lower end of the spring SI is similarly seated, it is found vthat the two springs will be securely anchored within the two casing parts. The opposite ends of the two springs are bent to form hooks 33,

34 which are shaped to ride on studs 36, 31 projecting from the end surfaces of a coupling member 38 in opposite directions. This coupling member is in any suitable manner rigidly secured in position on the stem 2 to cause the springs to function during the opening and closing movement of the door in the manner which will now be described.

Any suitable conventional handle or grip may be provided, substantially as indicated at 39 in Fig. 1, for manual opening movement of the door during which movement it is found that the stem 2 is rotated in clockwise direction to cause the piston I I to recede within the cylinder. During this opening movement it is found that the upper spring 353 is gradually put under tension by the movement of the stud 36 of the coupling member 38 which forces the hook 33 of the spring forward in the same direction.l It is important to note that the stud 31 projecting from the opposite side of the coupling member during the same movement recedes from the hook 34 of the spring 3i which, for this reason, remains undisturbed during the opening movement of the door. The moment the door is manually released, it is found that the tension of the spring will instantly initiate closing movement thereof to cause the spring to return the coupling member, the stem 2 and the piston of the cylinder to their initial positions.

rlhe size of the spring depended upon for closing the door should be sufficient to overcome any resistance the door' may offer to the closing movement thereof. When of suflicient strength to insure complete closing movement at all times, it may be found that the closing movement of the door becomes too rapid and the end of the closing movement so sudden that operation of the door will become uncomfortable, if not dangerous. It is for this reason necessary to provide means for controlling the closing movement of the door and this may be accomplished in the following manner. A screw 40 engages the threads of a recess 4I which is vertically sunk into the head 4 of the cylinder and this recess communicates through an extension Ma with the space within the cylinder and through an opening 42 with the atmosphere. It is important to note that the opening 42 is placed a considerable distance above the extension 4I and that this is done in order that, when the screw is advanced into the recess beyond the opening 42, it will serve gradually more completely to cut off communication of the space within the cylinder with the atmosphere, it being understood, of course, that the threads of the screw are rather loosely tted within the threads of the recess so as to permit some escape of air therethrough when the opening 42 is completely closed by the screw. When this screw is correctly proportioned, it is found that adjustment thereof will be effective to control the closing movement of the door as required in each case. Once the screw has been correctly adjusted, it is clamped into position by means of a lock nut 43.

In order further to soften the impact at the end of the opening and closing movements of the c door, I have provided within the cylinder cushioning springs 45, 46. The spring 45 is shown seated within the piston II by means of a cupshaped washer 41, which holds the inner end of the spring firmly in position within the piston. As shown in Fig. 3, a part of the spring is for the sake of clearness broken away, but it should be clear to anyone versed in the art that the spring extends behind this washer, as indicated at 45a. A nut 48 engages the threaded end of the piston rod I8 firmly to clamp the spring in position behind the washer. The spring 46, on the other hand, is shown freely seated on the rod Il) at the opposite side of the piston. The tension of these springs should, of course, be calculated effectively to check the final opening and closing movements of the door in accordance with the size of the door and the tension of the closing spring.

It was above stated that the casing I is placed at the upper end of the door nearer the inner edge thereof and it should be clear to anyone versed in the art that the distance from the inner side edge of the door to the axis of the stem 2 bears a definite relation to the length of travel of the piston within the cylinder. Once the casing has been mounted in proper position on the closed door, it is merely required to advance the piston rod IU in the cylinder until the spring 45 becomes compressed, whereupon the bracket I5 may be mounted in position on the door frame. Upon subsequent opening of the door, it may be found that the tension of this spring is either too great or insucient to insure proper cushioning. In such case, it is merely required to rotate the sleeve I3 on the screw I4 thereby to move the piston II forward or rearward as may be required in order to obtain the desired result.

lIt may at times be desired to maintain the door in fully opened position and the piston rod I0 is for this purpose shown made with a circular groove 24 which can be moved into registration with a plunger 28 of the plug I2 when the door is swung into fully opened position. A spring 29 urges the plunger into engagement with the groove yieldingly to retain the door in this position. It was above explained that the lower spring 3| remains dormant during the opening movement of a door which is hung to swing on hinges at the left side of the door frame, as indicated in Fig. 1. But where the door is hung at the right side of the door frame, it is found that the lower spring is placed under tension during the opening movement of the door to urge closing movement thereof while the upper spring 3U remains inactive. The great advantage of this arrangement is that at no extra expense, except the small cost of one additional spring, the deamens vioe ofti1e, invention? inadapt-ett eebothfgzht and leftlhanded operation., notonly that., but, itis important .toT note t t aspring, al-I ways .kept reserve .for-use: case the active spring, should` Ifor; some-reason fail to,l function; Pro-perla llt thon merolweeomoe necessari-.Lto unscr'ewfthecasingarid td interchange; the two springs.

Eventhisintorohaneeofsprinsemoy te eiimi?. matedv tr slightly-modifying te@ oonStnioti-onoi the stem. 'Iliustratiyevofa s imp .manner or reconstructing thisy stem, l; havefin, Eig.. 1 1. shown the stemmadeirr twoparts, Eiland 6 ,of` l whichv the part corresponds ktoit wie, enl r ed centralA portiera'il of tho Stomffl- A.;Spline. S tutti o; ther part .Strona size toreceivethereinafeather 6 3, onthe, inner-part el.. Whenrtne stenriswsd designed, it is merely required to unscrewthe casingand to l-Witlndraazff, vit treme-tile Bert 6l, whereupon. the casing may barev'ersed-.and re,- mountedsthereon* When thecasing4A again is; fas;v tened to, the door, it. is oundthat-the loe/:er splllg3l.\vill. take the position vor-.the upperspringi and will functioninthe saine manner,

One. ofthe d iiiicultiesordinarily encountered in door operating mechanisms `V(ii-the type hereinl considered is that a. cup-shaped pistonsuch as Commonly-employed, doesnot function properly at alltimes` Inorder tol overcome this difficulty i., have, inEigs. Q and lfyshownapiston molded; from soit, resilient materialand having series: of, equidistantly spaced .recesses, in the outer-gne-` riphery thereof, substantially as i1 idieated in theseviews ofthe draw-ings. When such recesses, are provided it is iound-,tldatthe operating rim, or crown, 5I of, the,4 cup` becomes more pliable and sensitive: to contra etingg and expanding Seli-adjustments .during op er1-ings and. ClQSing,r movements of the dolor.vr Thistipeofjptonoan:bedepended uponzto giye complete, uninterrupted, service-.over an extended period ,o time;

I claim:

1. A closing device for a door mountable to swing outwardly o ncitheliamb of the door framing from the same side or" the door opening comprising,.a cylinder, apistonwithin said cylinder, a piston rod extending :from:` the piston through the cylinder in the direction away from the.

hingesr of the door, means securingthe onterend' or the piston rod to the iramingabovethedoor for horizontal swinging movement relative to the framing, acap on the opposite end ofi the cylinder,- a' casing on the doorfnearer the hinged side-thereof, a stem rising through saidzcasing and rigidlysecured to-said'cap, means within the casing operatiyelyoonnectedwithsaid stem to urgerotation of the stem Ain the direction requiredto swing the door, into closed position,- and resilient means within the cylinder for checking the piston movement at each end thereof.

2. A closing device for a door mountable to swing outwardly on either jamb of the door framing from the same side of the door opening comprising, a casing at the upper end of the door nearer the hinged side thereof, a stem vertically seated for rotation within said casing, a coupling member rigidly secured to the stem intermediate the ends thereof, interchangeable helical springs above and below the member, one spring having its upper end and the other spring its lower end rigidly seated in the casing, the adjacent inner ends of the springs being operatively connected with said member, means operatively connecting the stem with the door frame to effect rotation thereof in one direction during opening movemoetofethetdoor whentheeattenis. hung at. one iamb ofthe vfrarrleand; the opposite direction when hung. atutheother jarno o f Ythe. frame, opening movement, vof Y the door placing one of said, transgender tension tourge closing movement of thetdoor the dormantsprine b8- coming activeupon reversal oi thecasing.

3. Aclosing device for a door mountablefto swine; outwardly: ,on either iamlo of the door frame ing fromfthesameside or thedoor opening; com prising;, a, cylinder,p a: piston Withinsaid cylinder, a piston rod extending from,the piston through the cylinder thedire'ction awayirom,the hinges of the, door, Ineens securingtne outer end ofthe A piston rodto thera-ming above/.the door for horif zontal, 'swinging movement relative t0 the fram-1 ma, acaponzthe QPQQS@ Gnd of, the cylindeln a nassaeethroueh said can to the Space with-in the cylindenmeans seated Saidl passaeepand Op".Y erable to control the air, flow therethrough, a. casing; on the,` door nea-rer thejhinged sidethere; or", a stemrisingthrough said casing and rigidly: secured tosaid cap, and means Within vthe casing; operatively connected withsaid. stem to urge roftation-.of ,the stem, in vthe direction required ltoswingtlaeY door into 4closed position.

4., A closing' devicegfor a door mountable; to1 swing. outwardly on either jamb of thedoor iram ing from the; same side of; the, door opening coni'-v prising, a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder; a pistonv rod extendingirom: the,l piston` through; the cylinder the direction, away from the. hingesofthe door, means securing the'louter endl of the piston rod to the framingabove the doorA for horizontal swinging movement relative to the framing, tocausethepiston to reedewithinthe cylinder, means for adjusting the lengthof thepiston rod correctlytoposition the piston within the cylinder,V a vcap on the opposite end orf-the: cylinder, a casing on the door nearerlthe hinged side thereof, a stem; rising through. said casing. and rigidly secured toY said cap, and means'witirin the casing operatively connected withr said stemI to urge rotation of the stemin the directionf required tosw-ingthe door into closed. position.; y.mes closing device,v Jor a1 door mountable to' swingoutwardlygon either jambnf, .the door franc ing from-the; same Side ofthe door :opening come;

prising acylindenl a piston within said' cylinder,

a pistonrod extending .fromthe piston througi'rv the; cylinder in the direction away from the hinges of ,the door, means securing the` outeri endA of the pistonrod to lthe. framingabovethedoora for horizontal swingingv movement relative Ato; the framing, a cap .on the opposite end' o ftth'eo cylinder,v a threaded passage through saidicap,i a screw seated in said passage and adjustablev therein to control air; owthrough the passage;

a casingonthe door, nearer the hingedv side there-f of, a stem rising through said casing and rigidly secured to said cap, and means within the casing operatively connected with said stem to urge rotation of the stem in the direction required to swing the door into closed position.

6. A closing device for a door mountable to swing outwardly on either jamb of the door framing from the same side of the door opening comprising, a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder, a piston rod extending from the piston through the cylinder in the direction away from the hinges of the door, the piston rod having a peripheral groove therein, means securing the outer end of the piston rod to the framing above the door for horizontal swinging movement relative to the framing to cause the piston to recede within the passage, an'element seated in the cylinder Wall, a spring urging said element into engagement with said groove as the piston rod reaches the end of its receding movement yieldingly to maintain the rod in this position, a cap on the opposite end of the cylinder, a casing on the door nearer the hinged side thereof, a stem rising through said casing and rigidly secured to said cap, and means within the casing operatively connected with said stem to urge rotation of the stem in the direction required to swing the door into closed position.

7. A closing device for a door mountable to swing outwardly on either jamb of the door framing from the same side of the door opening comprising, a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder, a piston rod extending from the piston through the cylinder in the direction away from the hinges of the door, means securing the outer end of the piston rod to the framing above the door for horizontal swinging movement relative to the framing, a cap on the opposite end of the cylinder, a reversible casing on the door nearer the hinged side thereof, a stem rising through said casing and rigidly secured to said cap, resilient means within the casing urging rotation of the stem to close the door when hung on one jamb of the framing, and resilient interchangeable means within the casing urging rotation of the stem to close the door when hung on the other jamb of the framing, one of said means remaining dormant while the other is in operau tion, the dormant means becoming active upon reversal of the casing.

8. A closing device for a door mountable to swing outwardly on either jamb of the door framing from the same side of the door opening comprising, a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder, a piston rod extending from the piston through the cylinder in the direction away from the hinges of the door, means securing the outer end of the piston rod to the framing above the door for horizontal swinging movement relative to the framing, a cap on the opposite end of the cylinder, a reversible casing on the door nearer the hinged side thereof, a stem vertically seated for rotation within said casing, the upper end of the stem being rigidly secured to said cap, a coupling member secured to the stem intermediate its ends, resilient means extending from said member to one end of the casing to urge rotation of the stem in one direction to effect closing movement of the door, and similar means extending from the member to the other end of the casing to urge rotation of the stern in the op posite direction, said resilient means being interchangeable, one of said means remaining inactive while the other means is in action, the dormant means becoming active upon reversal of the casing.

9. A closing device for a door mountable to swing outwardly on either jamb of the door framing from the same side of the door opening compricing, a reversible casing at the upper end of the door nearer the hinged side thereof, a stem vertically seated for rotation within said casing, two resilient members within the casing operatively connected to urge rotation of said stem. and means operatively connecting the stem with the door frame for effecting closing movement of the door during rotation of the stem, one of said members being placed under tension during the opening movement of the door when hinged on the jamb at one side of the frame, the other member being similarly placed under tension when the door is hinged on the other jamb of the frame, said resilient members being interchangeable.

10. A closingdevice for a door mountable to swing outwardly on either jamb of the door framing from the same side of the door opening comprising, a reversible casing at the upper end of the door nearer the hinged side thereof, a stem vertically seated for rotation within said casing, a coupling member on the stem intermediate the ends thereof, resilient means having one end thereof rigidly secured to the upper end of the casing and having its other end operatively connected with said coupling member at the top thereof, resilient means similarly extending from the lower end of the casing to the bottom surface of the member, said two resilient means being interchangeable, means operatively connecting the stem with the door frame to effect rotation of the stem in one direction during opening movement of the door when hung on one jamb of the frame and in opposite direction when hung on the other jamb of the frame, opening movement of the door being effective to place one of said means under tension to urge closing movement of the door, the dormant means becoming active upon reversal of the casing.

THEODORE A. STEHLIN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 842,350 Smith Jan. 29, 1907 1,528,195 Bush Mar. 3, 1925 1,662,395 Norton Mar. 13, 1928 1,848,574 Moore Mar. 8, 1932 1,899,716 Norton Feb. 28, 1933 '2,421,595 Brown June 3, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 545,720 Great Britain June 9, 1942 

